our spiritual condition? and how thankful should we be to those who faithfully warn us of the danger to which we are exposed, and who seek to bring us back to a right mind, that they may reign with us in glory.

SECTION SECOND.-VERSES 9-21.

THE APOSTLE'S SUFFERINGS.

THE Corinthians had been described as reigning like kings, in the Apostle's absence; they were greatly elated on account of their spiritual gifts; many of them were in circumstances of affluence; they were not then exposed to persecution, and they endeavoured to avoid as much as possible, the offence of the cross, by accommodating their doctrine and practice to the standard of the world. He now proceeds to contrast his own situation, and that of his fellow-labourers, with the prosperous circumstances in which the Corinthians were placed. 9. "For I think that God hath exhibited us (aridus) the apostles last, as persons appointed unto death (various), for we are made a spectacle (arg) to the universe (xor,) both to angels and men." The ancient prophets and Old Testament worthies had suffered a great share of contempt and danger in the cause of truth; and even when the Apostle wrote, private christians were not exempted from the reproach and suffering connected with their religious profession. But this was not to be compared with the measure of suffering which the apos tles endured. They were exposed, during their whole life, to the hatred and persecution of the world; and it was almost certain that they would be called to suffer martyrdom at last; therefore they might be considered as already appointed or condemned to death. The allusion is to the public games of the ancient Romans, in which malefactors, or prisoners of war, were exposed to wild beasts, or compelled to fight with each other on the stage, for the amusement of the spectators-a strange proof of the refinement of manners so often attributed to that wonderful people! First one set of captives or criminals was brought forward into the amphitheatre, to fight with the wild beasts, with the advantage

of being armed; they had therefore a chance of escaping with their lives. But in the afternoon, those who were less favoured, were compelled to fight naked, and had thus no means of escape from their terrible antagonists. If, however, their life was preserved, they were sure of being brought on the stage another day. Great numbers of unhappy persons were thus destroyed. It is said that after the triumph of Trajan over the Dacians, spectacles were exhibited for 123 days, during which 11,000 animals were killed, and 1000 gladiators were matched against each other (See art. Amphith. in the Edinburgh Encyc.) The amphitheatres were vast structures, originally built of wood, and afterwards of stone, of a round or oval form (as the name implies) open above, with seats rising behind each other for the accommodation of the audience. Of these the Coliseum of Rome, part of which stil. remains, was the most celebrated. It was 120 feet high, and was capable of containing 100,000 spectators. Persons of all ranks and of both sexes attended these games. On one occasion, Nero exhibited 400 senators, and 600 knights, who had enlisted themselves among the gladiators. According to the magnificent idea of the Apostle, the world is here compared to a vast theatre, where the servants of Christ were exposed to fight, while men and angels beheld them. A similar figure is employed, Heb. xii. 1. where the ancient worthies are considered as the spectators. The whole creation might be said to be interested in the sufferings of the apostles. They were surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, who had their eyes upon them; the holy angels beheld them with joy and admiration, that such feeble mortals should be so wonderfully supported by divine consolation, while the power of the heavenly Saviour was illustriously displayed, in strengthening their faith, and rendering them superior to fear. The fallen spirits saw with malignant rage their empire shaken to its centre, and their plans frustrated, by those whom they considered so far inferior to themselves. The redeemed in heaven rejoiced in the faith, love, fortitude, and zeal of their suffering brethren, whom they were ready to receive with acclamations, when the toils of the combat were over. The church on earth was edified. and encouraged by their example; while their bitterest persecutors were sometimes constrained to acknowledge the finger of God, who had hitherto turned the sufferings of his servants to the advantage of the church.

The contrast which follows (ver. 10.) between the character and circumstances of the Apostle, and those of the Corinthians, seems ironical, and conveys a keen reproof of their selfish and worldly spirit. "We are fools (uwgor) for Christ's sake, but ye are wise (Pgovo) in Christ." The factious teachers affected to consider the Apostle as a rude and illiterate person; and he was treated by the men of the world as a fool, on account of his love to the Saviour -the mysterious nature of his doctrine-his disregard of the rules of human policy-his choice of so disreputable and laborious a profession, and especially from his submitting to so many hardships without any apparent advantage. On the other hand, the Corinthians thought themselves endowed with superior sagacity-they were now instructed in the higher branches of Christian doctrine by their new teachers-they enjoyed a greater degree of christian liberty, so that they might safely indulge in practices at which weaker consciences scrupled; by prudent management they had also secured the good opinion of the world, and had advanced their own credit and reputation; "We are weak, but ye are strong." They were ready to despise the Apostle on account of his bodily infirmities, and his comparative deficiency in the art of eloquence; and perhaps on account of the depreciating sentiments he held respecting the value of human attainments. They viewed him as a weak man («ons). They, on the contrary, thought themselves strong (xg). They imagined they were in no great danger of apostacy, and were able to maintain their ground amidst the snares and opposition of this world.-They were greatly honoured, on account of their natural talents and spiritual gifts, their wealth and influence in society, while Paul and his companions were treated with contempt as mean and obscure individuals" Ye are honourable, but we are despised" (aτμo.). But indeed the Apostle did not wish to conceal the disadvantages under which he laboured. 11." Even to this present hour," he says, we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no settled abode (arraτovus), and labour, working with our own hands." Thus, though he had been long engaged in preaching the Gospel, the most benevolent and important of all employments, he reaped no temporal advantage from it, but the reverse. He was often without the common necessaries of life, and could hardly obtain the plainest food, or provide decent apparel wherewith to appear in public as a christian teacher-he

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was repeatedly exposed to insult, from all ranks and classes of men. Witness his treatment at Philippi, where he was beaten and imprisoned the violent usage he received from the Jewish populace, (Acts xxi. 32.; xxiii. 10.) even the high priest commanded the officers of court to smite him on the mouth, (ver. 2.) he was obliged to travel, often on foot, from place to place, in the most inclement seasons, and sometimes could hardly obtain the shelter of a house. Besides his extraordinary labours in preaching, his attention was frequently called off from the proper duties of his office, to provide for his own necessities and for those that were with him, by working with his own hands. (Acts xviii. 3.; xx. 34.) This was a great hardship, considering that he was entitled to maintenance from those who enjoyed the benefit of his ministry.

13. Nor were these the only difficulties with which he and the other apostles had to contend. Had they been cordially received and supported, their situation would have been comparatively easy. But they were exposed to the most injurious and contemptuous treatment, without any fault of their own, and while they sought the good of others. Yet, ever mindful of the precepts and example of their Saviour, they were so far from resenting the injuries offered to them, that they prayed for their persecutorsthey meekly and patiently bore their malice, they mildly entreated them to desist, or earnestly besought them to be reconciled to God: "Being reviled we bless, being persecuted we suffer it (anxusta,) being defamed (Cλarnusvusro) we entreat." So far indeed were they from meeting with the respect and attention due to their office, as ambassadors of Heaven, that they were treated as the most detestable and execrable of men: "We are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now," (sws agr). Thus there was no prospect of any termination to their sufferings. There seems here an allusion to the language of Jeremiah, when describing the wretched situation of the Jews at the first destruction of Jerusalem, he says, "Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people." (Lament. iii. 45.) The word galagu is applied to the receptacles for the offals of the public markets, and the sweepings of the streets; gua signifies filth scoured off. In the first word, the Apostle is thought to allude to those unhappy persons who, in times of public calamity, being loaded with curses, were devoted in sacrifice to the infernal gods, to appease their anger. The meaning is well expressed by the exclamation of the

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Jews, Acts xxii. 22. "Away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live!" The Apostle resumes the subject of his sufferings in his second Epistle chap. vi. 4, 5. and chap. xi. 23-28.

14. In thus enumerating his distresses, he did not mean to shame the Corinthians, as if he wrote on purpose to remind them that by their injurious treatment, they were greatly adding to his affliction. He did not write these things to put them out of countenance (wτgiwy,) but he admonished them as his beloved children. He wished to convince them of his affection, to prove his sincerity in his Master's cause, to instruct them in the true nature of Christ's kingdom, and to warn them against the indulgence of their passions, by the example of their veteran leader. In this he acted as a tender parent, who, while he reproves, is mainly solicitous for the welfare of his dear children.

15. They might easily indeed "heap up to themselves” teachers, who would flatter their pride, and pretend to instruct them in a more excellent way; but "though they had ten thousand masters" of this sort, they were only like governors who instructed children for hire (adaywyous,) and could never feel the same natural love for their souls which he felt, or manifest the same disinterested zeal for their best interests. 66 They had not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus he had begotten them, by means of (dia) the gospel." He therefore considered them as his spiritual children, and could not be indifferent to their progress in the knowledge of divine truth. The selfish domineering spirit of the pædagogue, is finely contrasted with the generous love of a parent.

16. As they might thus rely on his attachment, as their father in Christ, they might safely listen to his advice; he therefore beseeches them to follow his instructions, and instead of imitating the manners of the world, to be followers of him.

They thought they had made great improvement since the Apostle had left them; but the truth is, they had fallen far behind in their christian profession; and it was necessary that they should return from whence they had set out. On this account he had thought it necessary to send to them Timothy his beloved son, whom he had often proved to be faithful in the Lord, as a steward of the mysteries of heaven, that he might bring them back from their vain speculations, and "put them in remembrance of his ways that are in Christ, as he taught every where, in